Top 5 female MPs to follow

top 5 female MPs to follow 

From across the political landmine of Westminister, here is a reference list of political campaigning for women's rights.  

With the changing from the changing of the guard at number 10 comes new facts that show the development that has occurred since the end of the conservative rule. This election result has led to the most gender-even parliament ever. With enough women MPs in history to fill the entire Houses of Commons. There were 220 women MPs in the last election, the highest to that date. It’s increased to at least 264 MP as of July 2024.

Have each MP profile how they got into policies and the adversities they faced. Then, use quotes from what they have said in parliament about women's rights as evidence, as well as laws they’ve passed or impacted the creation of and what they say to their institute.

It is somewhat self-explanatory that the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls is an advocate for equality. Jess Phillips advocates for not the pay gap, equality, and rights of women to abortion. Back in March 2022, Phillips spoke in favour of at-home abortions being permanent post-pandemic. She was not just a political advocate. She was open about undergoing an abortion years earlier; she is for the people and has the experience to understand women's feelings in these matters. Of 31st October in England and Wales the law will create a safe access zoen around clicnics, with 150 metre radius and will make it illegal for anyone to harass or obstruct women accessing abortion services Jess Phillip said “we will not sit back and tolerate harassment, abuse and intimidation as people exercise their legal right to healthcare.” This is crucial in making the service accessible to women and causing them to be scared to be in charge of their bodies. This also shows to those harassing these women that nothing is going to change their actions are illegal, and that there are consequences.

Within her role, she focuses on this list of areas ( not exclusive to):

• tackling violence against women and girls, including
• domestic abuse
• FGM and forced marriage
• child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Disclosure and Barring Service
• Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority
• sexual violence
• rape review
• prostitution
• stalking
• hate crime
• crime prevention
• early youth intervention
• victim support
• victims elements of RASSO (rape, serious sexual offences)

She is not just an advocate for women but other minority groups, saying the status that two women are murdered every week was due to the “patriarchal culture”, not towards refugees who have entered this country. 

She has stood up for these views of representation in politics, criticising the January 2016 Labour shadow cabinet reshuffle for its gender makeup. Our MP should reflect the country's people; Phillips has the same values.

One of the most profound moments came after the Murder of Sarah Everard. Phillips took a moment to remind MP that this is not a stand-alone case reading out names of all women killed in the previous year, where a man was subsequently convicted. She said, "Killed women are not vanishingly rare; killed women are common." Outside her role as an MP, she has advocated by chairing and co-charing committees that advance women's rights, including the APPG on domestic violence and abuse and the APPG on women and work. She stood up against Jeremy Corbyn, who failed to appoint women to shadow the Great Offices of State. 

These are all reasons why she is a perfect woman to follow and support as an MP, as she has shown through actions and not just through her words her support for women's rights. Though, like everyone, she has had moments of controversy, she has always retained her commitment to equality in politics and the country.

Dianna Abbott is a veteran and a true advocate for the minority group. Speaking on civil liberties and 

won The Spectator magazine's "Parliamentary Speech of the Year" award and further recognition at the 2008 Human Rights Awards. She was recognised as the longest continuously serving female MP with the symbolic title Mother of the House. She spoke fondly on the 9th of July, 2024, after the general election, about when she was a new MP in 1987. There were only 40 female members of parliament. As of the speech, there were 264. A Lot of that has to do with her as a role model as a woman and advocate and her long service to the country.

Abbott has advocated and supported aneds to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill ( now act) in favour of women having rights to their own bodies and abortion rights. When writing The Guardian in 2008, agreeing with the Amendment of the Abortion Act 1967 application in Northern Ireland, saying, “When it comes to the right to choose, women in Northern Ireland are second-class citizens. They are denied the NHS treatment and funding for abortion that is permitted for every other woman in the United Kingdom.” There are many more examples of her advocating for women's voices that have previously been quieted by men or the law against them. She has stood by her values and principles her whole career. I commend her actions, and there should be more MPs like Abbott.

Those are my core women to look out for. These are other women who have broken the status quo in Parliament and have made history.

Other women making history

After the July 2024 general election, Harriet Harman was elevated to the House of Lords, which was given to her in the past. More significant is that she's been given this recognition for her long-standing commitment to gender equality.

Rachel Reeves has become Britain's first-ever female chancellor and lasted longer in her crucial role than Liz Trust did as Prime Minister. Also, her sister Ellie Reeves is an MP, which is the first time sisters have been MPs together.  

Rachel Blake has become the first Labour MP to win the seat of the Cities of London and Westminster since its creation in 1950. Labour needed to win the election, hoping to show the new connection between Labour and women, which previously were not synonymous.

Finally, the redhead at PM Kier Starmer's side, some might say his work wife Angela Rayner, started as a single young mum and now is notable as one of the most known and influential women in politics today, though with some scandal attached when she was appointed deputy Prime minister and recorded her department as secretary of state for levelling up housing and communities, taking over from Michael Gove.

Finally, Monica Harding has made history in Esher and Walton, becoming the first non-Conservative to represent the area in over a century - and its first-ever female MP.

All these women have one thing in common: they are trailblazers and set a precedent for the younger generations, stating that there are no glass ceilings in politics that can be broken. All these firsts make room for the seconds and the thirds to make their up follow in their footsteps.

Finally, I am looking forward to what Labour has promised, and one would hope for change but take it with a pinch of salt. Making flexible working the default option is a significant step towards empowering women in the workforce. The classic closing of the gender pay gap has been pledged to make firms take action on gender pay gaps, along with reporting on ethnicity and disability pay gaps, which is crucial for transparency and equity. Finally, Enhancing parental leave policies will support working parents and promote a more balanced division of childcare responsibilities. These were in a manifesto or items they wished to cover. I would not put it past them if nothing gets done about these issues, significantly as they do not benefit the government and the representation of the MP still being majority men, but one with hope with a progressive Labour PM and deputy Prime minister who, as a single mother would appreciate and been personally connected to these issues and hope to support them. 

Only time will tell